Fan Reviews of Temples Festival 2014, 2015

Reviews of the 2014 Event

"If you ask a metal fan which event is the best, he or she would probably answer 'Download' or 'Sonisphere'. It's only natural since they are the biggest Rock Festival names in the UK. However after the end of this weekend, many will answer the same question with 'Temples'.
The line-up is mindblowing from beginning to end. When I try to describe the performances of the past three days, I can think of one word – brutal! If you ask me to name my favourite moments from the event, I'd be at a loss because there are just too many to count.
The atmosphere of Temples' is also commendable. The venue is excellent, the crowd is fantastic, and the event's organisation is top-notch. The festival director Francis Mace made sure to take care of all complaints, and the festival's staff enacted the changes throughout the weekend."

"When I first heard of the Temples Festival, the fact that the one and only Neurosis was among the headliners immediately caught my attention. Least to say, this shaped up to be my best weekend of the year with doom and heavy riffs on Stage 1 and death metal on Stage 2. After witnessing Jucifer, Sonance, Wolfbrigade, Amenra and other great bands, it felt like the organisers had picked the selection especially for me. The staff was really helpful during the second day, clearing up the problems with lighting, sound and access to the main stage. All in all, Temples had plenty of positives and almost no negatives.”

"Temples was impressive for its first try. The venue in Bristol “Motion” was an excellent pick, offering food vendors, merch tables and canned beer. The two-stage rooms were right next to each other with very little sound interference. This accommodation made it possible for fans to see most of what all bands had to offer. Although there was an issue with traffic flow into the main room on Friday, the organisers and stewards were quick to respond and clear the entrance by guiding the crowd towards the back. The view from the balcony was great too, and the people I met were very friendly.”

Reviews of the 2015 Event

"Temples Festival's debut last year was a resounding success. The shows the bands put on were thrilling, the audience was on fire, and the exceptional event organisation left metal fans happy and impatient for next year.
2015 has improved on the previous edition, adding a third stage and giving the crowds more of what they want. Along with 'One Louder' 'Pig Destroyer' and 'Earth', this year's line-up was utterly sublime. Although on Sunday there was a sudden lack of beer, this was but a small issue compared to the grand spectacle of Temples.”

"I had to get up in the wee hours of the morning to catch a flight and head to Temples Festival. This year's event was expected to host more bands and higher intensity. And boy did it deliver! There is no doubt that SunO))) stole the show with its ear-thumping physical presence. At some point, however, there were people getting nose bleeds from their performance and PA damage that required some fixing.
Despite the expected issue of the stages being overcrowded, Francis and his team had arranged the program in such a way as to avoid clashes of interests and make it easier for fans to see all of their favourite bands. The top-notch bar staff, sound engineers and security were well prepared and brought us the best possible experience.”

"It was that time of the year again, and in Bristol hordes of metalheads surrounded the Temple Quarter area. Temples Festival did it again, selling out tickets and including a third stage for its bigger line-up. The first day kicked off strong with bands such as Throats, Chicago's Harm's Way, Pig Destroyer who wasted no time in hyping the crowd up. Day two began a little later than expected because of the new ale/cider bars the organisers had to arrange after so many requests. Despite that, the performers powered through with Sonnance, Goatsnake and SunO))). Day three ended with headliners such as Earth, Monarch and Year of No Light much to my delight. This edition of Temples had a more diverse feel to it, including artists from the US, Canada and even Sweden.”